Byron is National Campaign Organizer for the Australian Workers’ Union My favorite Hebrew word is “balagan”; which translates as “chaos”. In English, it is a decidedly negative word, synonymous with disharmony and strife. However, “balagan” in Israel and Hebrew describes…
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Two British unions taken to court over anti-Israel actions
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Two British unions taken to court over anti-Israel actions
In recent weeks, two British unions have become the targets of legal action brought by Israeli and British Jewish academics alleging discriminatory practices. In both cases, the unions have justified their actions based on what they see as solidarity with…
COSATU’s Masuku: Discussion of miners’ massacre “diverts attention” from Israeli policies
by ericlee • • Comments Off on COSATU’s Masuku: Discussion of miners’ massacre “diverts attention” from Israeli policies
On the very day that South African police opened fire and killed dozens of striking mine workers, the country’s national trade union centre, COSATU, issued two statements (here and here) condemning … Israel. Irish trade unionist Tom Carew wrote to…
Union leaders from Georgia visit Israel, meet Peres, Eini
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Union leaders from Georgia visit Israel, meet Peres, Eini
The President of the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC), Irakli Petriashvili [pictured], visited Israel last month together with two other colleagues. They attended the congress of the Histadrut, met with its leader Ofer Eini, and also met the President of…
International Federation of Journalists condemns Hamas meddling in Gaza journalists affairs
by ericlee • • Comments Off on International Federation of Journalists condemns Hamas meddling in Gaza journalists affairs
The contrast could not be clearer: in Israel, independent trade unions that sometimes cooperate with, sometimes confront the government. In areas controlled by the pro-Iranian Hamas, unions under the thumb of an authoritarian regime. This week the International Federation of…
Histadrut stands up for Israel’s poor on minimum wage and VAT
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Histadrut stands up for Israel’s poor on minimum wage and VAT
It’s often said (by the anti-union mainstream media) that trade unions look after their own members, but don’t give a damn about the public. But the reality is that unions are often the only organized force in a country that…
Israel’s firefighters win big gains - including the right to strike
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Israel’s firefighters win big gains - including the right to strike
The Histadrut and the firefighters union have signed a collective bargaining agreement with the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Security that contains big gains for the workers. The two sides had long disagreed on the question of whether…
UK: TUC moves up to a new level of support for BDS
by ericlee • • Comments Off on UK: TUC moves up to a new level of support for BDS
The global campaign of boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS) targetting Israel is a threat to the Jewish state, but that campaign can be broken down into five types using the British government’s “threat levels” as a guide. Those levels are…
Railway workers break from Histadrut, join rival federation
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Railway workers break from Histadrut, join rival federation
In an extraordinary series of developments in the last few days, a significant union has for the first time in recent memory withdrawn from the Histadrut labour federation and joined a smaller group. The railway workers union, which has been…
TULIP and TUFI challenge the pro-Hamas line in British unions
by ericlee • • Comments Off on TULIP and TUFI challenge the pro-Hamas line in British unions
On Tuesday this week, a fringe meeting called by Trade Union Friends of Israel (TUFI) and TULIP was held in Brighton at the hotel next door to the conference centre where Unite the union was holding its annual event. Why…